Sheet-feed mechanism for folding machines, printing machines, and the like



Jan. 11 1927.

G. SPIESS SHEET FEED MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINES, PRINTING MACMINES, AND THE LIKE Filed May. 22. 1925 2 Shoots-15h. 1

.Trwen for Gorg lgj oiess 5g m .Hrmm'e Jan. 11 1927. 1,614,088

G. SPIESS SHEET FEED MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINES, PRINTING MACHINES, AND THE LIKE Fiied May 22. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4-

39 I A4 4-0 42 17 706)? to! Geo g ,5 ess Patented Jan. 11, 1927;

I UNETE. STAES PATENT QFFIQE.

GEORG SPIESS, OF LEIPZ IG-PLAGWITZ, GERMANY.

SHEET-FEED MECHANISM FOR FOLDING MACHINES,

Applicatior This invention relates PRINTING MACHINES, AND THE LIKE.

. filed m 22', 1a

to devices for feeding sheets of paper, cardboard or similar material from a pile to machines such as folding machines, printing machines and the like. shall work in a sati In order that apparatus of this class sfactory manner it is of advantage to arrange that the devices or grippers used to separate sheets engage each relation to its cent and feed in the sheet symmetrically in re line. In some cases,

as for example when the sheets are trued up by placing them up against a lateral gauge,

it is however of advantage to place the pile of sheets not centr more towards the justifying side, depending on the width of the sheets.

invention relates to pl sheets to ally upon the table but the extent This means which enables the aliances for separating and feeding the lay hold of them or separated therefrom,

either on the pile in a symmetrica manner even in such cases where the pile is placed very much to one side or For this purpose therefor.

appliances are made the support the aforesaid laterally adjustable relatively to the table over which the sheets are conveyed from This may be accomplished, for

mounting the table the pile to the machine. example, by

which carries the pile of sheets, and the sheet separating and feeding devices attached verse guides on the under mg means for shifting it The mechanism fo may be to a movable table,

thereto, movably in transframe and providon these gmcles. r separating the sheets actuated either by a motor attached or by gearing mounted on the fixed frame of the machine, the connection being made telescopic shafts.

by universal joints and In order more to completely utilize the power of the sheet; laying mechanism, that is to say in order to secure a more rapid succession in the feed of the sheets when they are of small size, may be provided with a speed device or it may driving mechanism driving gear or the According to the motor regulating be built into the fixed of a coned belt pulley like.

the invention the table in which the pile of sheets is carried may be adjustable table may vertically so that the loading be brought into the same or nearly the same plane with the transfer table, which is of advantage if the sheets have to be fed to the machine by mechanically.

The invention 1s 1 hand instead of llustrated in the annexed 25, Serial No. 32,139, and in Germany May 5, 1923.

drawings showing by way of example a machine for a circular system.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a round pile layer with a portion of the under frame and the built-in transfer table.

Figure 2 is a plan of the round pile table with the built-in transfer table.

Figure 3 is a similar plan showing the table for the pile of sheets arranged for working sheets of small width.

Figures 4: and 5 are side elevations of a round pile table adjustable vertically, Figure 4: showing the adjustment for mechanical delivery and Figure 5 the adjustment for delivery by hand.

Figure 6 shows in side elevation another form of a vertically adjustable round pile table in the position for laying on by hand.

1 denotes the under frame of the machine,

1 on which is mounted a round pile sheet layer,

the device 8 for separating the sheets and the cylinder 9 for feeding the sheets forward, and the pressure rollers 10, is mov ably mounted by means of rollers 6 on transverse rails 7 on the frame 1. On the underside of the lower pile table 5 there is a downwardly projecting lug or projection 11, in which afemale screw thread is cut for an adjusting spindle 12. This spindle 12 is adapted to rotate in a bearing in the frame 1 of the machine, but is prevented from moving longitudinally by means of two collars and is provided at its outer end with hand wheel 13.

The secondary transfer table 14: with the feeding device for transferring the separated sheets to the machine consists of the rollers 15 mounted close together in the frame of the machine in a horizontal plane and driven in the same direction. The rollers are mounted in the well known way obliquely to the direction in which the sheets are fed so that they feed the sheet sideways to a justifying bar 16 along which the sheet is guided up to the laying on mark or the like of the machine. 1

The appliances mounted on the movably mounted pile table may be driven by a motor 17 mounted on the round pile table itself as shown in Figure 1 or a driving shaft mounted on the movable round pile table and from which the various appliances are driven can be driven by means of two bevel wheel gears 18, 19 and two universal joints 20, 21 with telescopic shafts 22 may be driven by a stationary driving member as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The driving mechanism is preferably pro vided with means for regulating the speed of the devices for separating and feeding the sheets so that the capacity of the laying on mechanism can be increased for sheets of small size and adapted to the machine. When driving by means of an electric motor this latter may conveniently be fitted with a starter with a regulating resistance. lVhen driving mechanically the variations in the speed may be obtained by means of a speed regulating gear such as a cone belt pulley gearing as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This latter consists of the two coned pulleys 23, 24 with the driving belts 25 and the belt fork 27 mounted on a lever 26 for working it.

\Vhen working sheets which are only of very small. width in comparison to the width of the pile and transferring;' tables, the round pile table is drawn over to one side of the justifying bar 16 by turning the hand wheel 13 on the spindle 12 until even when the pile of sheets is laid in the middle of the pile table the sheets with the side edge which serves for their justification reach close up to the bar 16 on the transfer table. By shifting the belt 25 or by adjusting the regulating resistance when an electric motor is used for driving the speed of working of the sheet laying on mechanism can be so accelerated that even when the sheets ar of small size thev follow each other so rapidly as the speed of the machine will permit.

In the oonstructiona form shown in Figures 4 and 5 the rails 6, 7 on which the round pile table runs are connected up into a frame 28 which is carried by two pairs of levers 30, 29 which are mounted on shafts 31, 32 carried in the fixed frame of the machine. The apparatus is operated by a shaft 34 provided with a hand wheel 33, and connected to the shaft 31 ly a pair of bevel wheels 35, 36 and provided with a catch. The lever arms 80 are slightly longer than the pairs of levers 29, so that the loading table 2 when arranged for mechanical sheet feeding lies horizontal when in the lowered position required for laying on by hand (see Figure 5).

In the constructional form shown in Figure 6 the rail frame 28 has in it two or four internally screw-threaded holes in which screw spindles 37, 38 are screwed. These screw spindles are adapted to rotate vertically in the frame of the machine but cannot move longitudinally and can be rotated by means of a common shaft 40 provided with a hand wheel 39 and pairs of bevel wheels 4C1, 42 so as to adjust the pile table vertically. The spindles 28 are of slightly higher pitch than the spindles 37 so that the loading table 2 which is set obliquely when feeding the sheets mechanically may assume the horizontal position required for laying on by hand in the vertical position.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a sheet feeding and separating means, sheet supporting and feeding means including a table and sheet feeding means associated therewith, sheet separating means, and drive gearing for said sheet feeding and sheet separating means, said sheet separating means being adjustable laterally of said table and of said feeding means while maintaining its driving connection with the drive gearing.

2. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, a transfer table, sheet feeding means associated therewith, a supporting table, and sheet separating means carried by said supporting table, and drive gearing for said sheet feeding and sheet separating means. said sheet separating means being adjustable laterally with relation to said transfer table and to said feeding means while maintaining its driving connection with the drive gearing.

3. In a sheet means a transfer table, sheet feeding means associated therewith, a supporting table adjustable laterally with relation to the transfer table and said sheet feeding means, sheet separating means carried by and adjustable with said supporting table, and drive gearing for the sheet feeding means and sheet separating means including a driving connection in constant driving engagement with the sheet separating means in the adjustments of the latter.

4. In a sheet feeding mechanism, the combination ing frame, of a stationar carried thereby, a traclrway on said frame, sheet feeding means associated with said transfer table, a sheet supporting table ad justable onsaid traclrway laterally of said transfer table and of said feeding means for varying the line of feed of the sheets with respect thereto, means for laterally adjusting the supporting table, sheet separating means movable with said supporting table in its lateral adjustments, and drive gearing for the sheet feeding means and sheet sepa rating means including a driving connection in constant driving engagement with the sheet separating means in the adjustments of the latter.

and separating with a supportfeeding and separating transfer table 5. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, the combination with a stationary transfer table, and sheet feeding means associated therewith, of a sheet supporting table adjustable laterally of said transfer table and of said sheet feeding means for varying the line of feed of the sheets with respect thereto, sheet separating means movable with said supporting table in its lateral adjustments, and drive gearing for the sheet feeding means and sheet sepaating means including a driving connection in constant driving engagement with the sheet separating means in the adjustments of the latter.

, 6. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, the combination with a stationary transfer table, and sheet feeding means associated therewith, of a. sheet supporting table adjustable laterally of said transfer table and of said feeding means for varying the line of feed of the sheets with respect thereto, means for laterally adjusting the supporting table, sheet separating means carried by and movable with said supporting table in its lateral adjustments, and drive gearing for the sheet feeding means and sheet separating means including a driving connection in constant driving engagement with the sheet separating means in the adjustments of the latter.

7. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, the combination with a stationary transfer table, and feeding means associated therewith, of a sheet supporting table vertically and laterally adjustable with relation to said transfer table and feeding means, means for vertically and laterally adjusting the sheet supporting table, and sheet separating means movable with said sheet supporting table in its vertical and lateral adjustments.

8. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, the combination with a stationary transfer table, and feeding means associated therewith, of a sheet supporting table vertically and laterally adjustable with relation to said transfer table and feeding means, means for vertically and laterally adjusting the sheet supporting table, and sheet separating means carried by and movable with said sheet supporting table in its vertical and lateral adjustments.

9. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, a sheet supporting table, a transfer table in alinement therewith, sheet feeding means associated with said transfer table, means for adjusting the supporting table laterally of the transfer table and feeding means, and sheet separating means movable with said supporting table in its lateral adjustments, said adjusting means in operation maintaining the tables in operative relation and serving by adjustment of the supporting table to vary the lateral line of feed of the sheets from the supporting table. with respect to the transfer table and its associated feeding means.

10. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, a supporting frame, a stationary transfer table on said frame, feeding means associated with said table, a loading table, a transfer table below the loading table and arranged for cooperation with the first-named transfer table, a carriage supporting the loading table and second-named transfer table for conjoint adjustment laterally with relation to the first-named transfer table, and sheet separating means associated with the second-named transfer table and moving with said secondary transfer table and loading table in their lateral adjustments.

11. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, a loading table, a primary transfer table disposed below the same, sheet feeding means for transferring sheets from the first-named to the second-named table, a secondary stationary transfer table, sheet feeding means associated therewith, a carriage supporting the loading table and primary transfer table for conjoint lateral adjustments relatively to the stationary transfer table, sheet separating means movable with the primary transfer table in its lateral adjustments, and drive gearing between the sheet feeding means of the secondary transfer table and the sheet separating means of the primary transfer table, said gearing including articulate connecting means between the respective parts of said gearing.

12. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, a primary transfer table, a secondary transfer table, sheet feeding means associated with the secondary transfer table, means for laterally adjusting the primary transfer table with relation to the secondary transfer table and its associated feeding means, sheet separating mechanism movable laterally with the primary transfer table, and gearing between said sheet feeding and sheet separating means including an articulate driving connection.

13. In a sheet feeding and separating means, primary and secondary transfer tables, feeding means associated with the secondary transfer table, separating means associated with the'primary transfer table, means for adjusting the primary transfer table laterally with relation to the secondary transfer table, and gearing between the sheet feeding and sheet separating means on the tables, said gearing including shafts, intermeshing drive gears associated with each of said shafts, and an articulate shaft between certain of the gears of the sets adapted to maintain driving connection between the sets of gears in the lateral adjustments of the primary transfer table.

14:. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, primary and secondary transfer tables, sheet feeding means associated With the secondary transfer table and including a pair of reversely tapered, parallel conical driving rolls, sheet supporting means associated with the primary transfer table, a drive belt connection between the conical rolls, and means for shifting said belt connection in opposite directions longitudinally of said rolls.

15.111 a sheet feeding means, sheet feeding means, means adjustable laterally of said feeding means for varying the line of feed of the sheets with respect thereto, and driving means for the sheet feeding means and the sheet separating means including a compensating connection for maintaining driving engagement between the driving means and the sheet separating means in the adjustments of the latter.

16. In a sheet feeding mechanism, a transfer table, a supporting table adjustable laterally with relation to the transfer table,

and separating sheet separating sheet feeding devices on the transfer table, sheet separating devices on the supporting table, and driving means for the sheet feeding and separating devices, the driving means for the separating devices on the supporting table including a. motor mounted With the driving means on said table and. adjustable therewith.

17. In a sheet feeding and separating mechanism, a stationary transfer table, a sheet supporting table adjustable laterally of said transfer table, sheet feeding devices on the transfer table, sheet separating devices on the supporting table, drive gearing including a motor carried by the supporting table for driving the sheet separating devices on said table, drive gearing for the sheet feeding devices on the transfer table, and intermediate gearing including an articulate telescopic shaft coupling the aforesaid drive gearings.

GEORG SPIESS. 

